Brazilian President Lula da Silva has rejected any form of foreign control in response to US President Donald Trump’s announcement to impose a 50 per cent tariff on goods made in Brazil.
Unveiling the plan in his latest tariff letter, Trump has accused Brazil of attacks on US tech companies and of conducting a witch hunt against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing prosecution over his alleged role in a plot to overturn the 2022 election. Underlining Brazil’s sovereignty, President Lula da Silva responded by saying that they will not accept any form of tutelage. He further added that judicial proceedings against those involved in the coup fall exclusively under Brazil’s jurisdiction and are not subject to any external interference.
In the context of digital platforms, President Lula da Silva said that all companies, whether domestic or foreign, must comply with Brazilian law to operate in the country. He called the claim of US trade deficit with Brazil inaccurate and warned that any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil’s Economic Reciprocity Law.
US President Trump announces fresh tariffs on imports from 8 nations; Brazil faces 50% rate
US President Donald Trump has announced a fresh round of tariffs on imports from eight nations – Brazil, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Iraq, Libya, the Philippines, Moldova and Brunei. These tariffs will come into effect on August 1. Brazil got the highest tariff rate of the bunch, at 50 per cent. As mentioned in the letters sent by President Trump to leaders of these nations, the US will impose a 30 per cent tariff on goods imported from Sri Lanka, Iraq, Algeria and Libya. Moldova and Brunei will face a tariff of 25 per cent, while the Philippines will face 20 per cent. In the letters, Mr. Trump threatened to increase the tariff rate by the same amount if the countries decided to raise their tariffs on importing American products. However, the US President indicated his willingness to reduce these tariffs if these countries revised their trade policies.
Earlier, on the 8th of this month, Trump announced that tariffs would come into effect on August 1, 2025, and must be paid without any extensions.
